System and method to enable pki- and pmi-based distributed locking of content and distributed unlocking of protected content and/or scoring of users and/or scoring of end-entity access means - added

ABSTRACT

A central server configured with an Attribute Authority (“AA”) acting as a Trusted Third Party mediating service provider and using X.509-compatible PKI and PMI, VPN technology, device-side thin client applications, security hardware (HSM, Network), cloud hosting, authentication, Active Directory and other solutions. This ecosystem results in real time management of credentials, identity profiles, communication lines, and keys. It is not centrally managed, rather distributes rights to users. Using its Inviter-Invitee protocol suite, Inviters vouch for the identity of Invitees who successfully complete the protocol establishing communication lines. Users establish and respond to authorization requests and other real-time verifications pertaining to accessing each communication line (not end point) and sharing encrypted digital files. These are auditable, brokered, trusted-relationships where such relationships/digital agreements can each stand-alone (for privacy) or can leverage build-up of identity confidence levels across relationships. The service is agnostic to how encrypted user content is transported or stored.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.16/786,884, filed Feb. 10, 2020, which is a continuation of U.S.application Ser. No. 16/045,646, filed Jul. 25, 2018, now U.S. Pat. No.10,567,361, which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.15/642,304, filed Jul. 5, 2017, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,038,678, which is acontinuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/269,832 filed Sep.19, 2016, now abandoned, which is a continuation of application Ser. No.15/002,225 filed Jan. 20, 2016, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,455,978, which is acontinuation of application Ser. No. 14/218,897 filed Mar. 18, 2014, nowU.S. Pat. No. 9,270,663, which claims the priority benefit fromProvisional Application No. 61/792,927 filed Mar. 15, 2013 and is acontinuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 13/481,553 filed May 25,2012, now abandoned, which claims the priority benefit from ProvisionalApplication No. 61/650,866 filed May 23, 2012, now expired, which claimsthe priority benefit from Provisional Application No. 61/490,952 filedMay 27, 2011, now expired, and is a continuation-in-part of Ser. No.13/096,764 filed Apr. 28, 2011, now abandoned, and which also claims thepriority benefit from Provisional Application No. 61/416,629 filed Nov.23, 2010, now expired, which claims the priority benefit fromProvisional Application No. 61/367,576 filed Jul. 26, 2010, now expired,which also claims the priority benefit from Provisional Application No.61/367,574 filed Jul. 26, 2010, now expired, and which also claims thepriority benefit from Provisional Application No. 61/330,226 filed Apr.30, 2010, now expired, each of which is incorporated herein by referenceand for all purposes.

BACKGROUND 1. Field of the Described Embodiments

The present descriptions generally relate to the field of enablingsecurity based communication lines established between users when usingX.509-compatible PKI and PMI and related tools (see FIG. 1 “High-LevelDepiction of Component- and Functional-Relationships in Combined ServiceProvider Model”). Rather than a centrally managed system of identity andrelationship recognition and authorization, these functions aretransferred to users through an Inviter-Invitee protocol suite, throughwhich Inviters vouch for the identity of Invitees who successfullycomplete the protocol establishing communication lines. The SecurityEcosystem includes an Attribute Authority which acts as a Trusted ThirdParty mediating service provider for users that can: securely set upidentities, uniquely associate keys to identities and their Invitees,thereby securing each communication line. The system delegatesauthorizations to Inviters and Invitees for each communication line, andthen proceeds to enable live and/or asynchronous uploads. It delegatesauthorization requests and real-time verifications to the users of thesystem, so they can create private communication lines for the sharingof digital files. The service is agnostic to the platform and or servicethat each user uses to transport or store their encrypted content.

2. Description of the Related Art

In establishing and achieving secure communications between individualsand other individuals and/or businesses and/or with other businesses,authentication of identities of the other parties has been a challenge.It can be a challenge for one party to be certain of the identity ofanother party as well as to determine if some unknown party isimpersonating the intended party.

In the field of secure communications using public key cryptography,authenticating the pubic key of a remote party has been a challenge. Athird party has been known to impersonate the intended party and providea public key purported to be from the desired remote party, but it isnot, thus security can be compromised.

Cryptographic systems such as PGP have attempted to mitigate suchchallenges by instituting “key signing parties” and creating a “web oftrust”. While helpful, such tools are cumbersome and less than absolute.Cryptographic systems such as PGP tend to become tools generally of thetechnically proficient who are willing to take the extra steps toovercome such limitations.

In the current environment of Internet security, it is considered bymany security experts that, to keep one's data secure, one shouldencrypt it prior to transmitting it over the Internet (“secure intransit”) as well as securing it when it is not being accessed (“secureat rest”).

Cryptography is the desired tool to protect digital assets from accessby others. While properly encrypted digital assets can be secure,managing, transmitting, protecting the keys that allow access to suchassets should be done securely and properly or the keys can come intocontrol of others thereby compromising the encrypted asset.

Symmetric key cryptography presents challenges not only in protectingthe key in its owner's possession, but more critically in transmittingthe key securely to a third party to whom the owner of the asset wouldlike to provide access to the asset. This is can be difficult toaccomplish.

Public key cryptography can be used to address this problem. The digitalasset can be encrypted with a symmetric encryption key followed by thesymmetric key being encrypted using the public key of an intended thirdparty to whom the owner would like to give access to the asset.Cryptographically, and for security purposes, this procedure works well.A shortcoming is related to the previously described challengesassociated with public key cryptography.

Businesses typically use centrally managed systems where users, theiridentities, and their relationships with other users are created andcontrolled. Particularly, with cryptographic capabilities involved, theyare not generally used or deployed unless there is a sophisticatedInformation Technology department supporting them. As a result, theaddition of new users, the establishment of user relationships, and theefficient flow of data between users are slowed by such a centrallymanaged bottleneck.

Additionally, it is difficult for businesses to efficiently manage (withgood security of data and keys) the encryption of digital assets so thatthey are protected both in transit and at rest. This is particularly thecase when a business needs to transmit a digital asset to a third partythat is not within the business's secure network. Such limitationsresult in a business' difficulty or inability to securely transmit adigital asset to such a third party. For example, email is widelyconsidered insecure for such uses. Due to such limitations, postal mailand express shipments (e.g. Federal Express) continue to be common withbusinesses in today's high tech age. Such mail/shipping options are bothexpensive and inconvenient for a business to provide.

The result of these limitations is that many businesses require theiroff-network third parties to login to a secure website and from there,then can access and download desired digital assets that are storedbehind the business' firewall. Such a method is common today. It isefficient, convenient, relatively inexpensive and secure for thebusiness. Examples of this are financial services business customers'login into secure websites to manually download bank statements, creditcard statements, security trading statements, and all manner of otherdigital assets. Numerous other industries provide similar services(e.g., an insurance firm requiring policy holders to login to retrievepremium notices, copies of policies, notices, etc.; a healthcareprovider may require patients to login to retrieve notifications fromdoctors, prescriptions and various other records). Such practices arenot favorable for the third party users (e.g., customers).

Customers should maintain multiple unique, secure logins for each suchbusiness visited, and they generally take the time and trouble tomanually retrieve, download and save such digital assets. It isnoteworthy that once downloaded from such a business' secure website andsaved to the third party user's computer, the digital assets are nolonger secure. They are typically saved in plain text and thus are notsecure at rest.

In view of the above, it is desired to provide methods and apparatus forindividuals and other individuals and/or businesses and/or with otherbusinesses to mutually authenticate each other and establish securecommunication lines between them by using a reliable system operated bya Trusted Third Party mediating service provider. And further, that theusers of such authenticated, secure communications lines can thenutilize digitally signed requests at the level of each communicationline in order to maintain the security of their digital assets while intransit and/or at rest.

SUMMARY OF THE DESCRIBED EMBODIMENTS

The User-Directed, Authenticated, Cryptography-Enabling,Security-Focused Ecosystem (the “Security Ecosystem”) described hereinis being created to address a number of problems encountered in both bybusiness enterprises as well as consumers.

One such problem is to address long-stalled “going-paperless”initiatives of enterprises: securely delivering statements, invoices,and other documents to their customers as opposed to postal mail or theinconvenient “come and get it” paradigm (requiring customers to log intoenterprise websites and manually retrieve such digital assets). Tens ofbillions of documents need to be delivered annually from enterprises totheir customers. Mail is extremely expensive. The “come and get it”paradigm is only marginally successful.

The “going-paperless” problem is a manifestation of a broader problemconfronting enterprises: lack of a user-friendly, workable,authenticated, secure B2C and B2B communication capability. It is achallenge today for enterprises to easily and securely exchangesensitive documents with those outside their networks. The SecurityEcosystem's integrated software product will ensure that the sensitivedocuments, etc., that enterprise users send to third parties who are offthe enterprise can be delivered securely and privately to their correct,authenticated recipients.

To make the Security Ecosystem cryptographically sound,cryptographically based digital signing was built in. Therefore, theSecurity Ecosystem may be able to also offer Digital Signatures as afeature. Such an integrated Digital Signature capability may address aneed of enterprise businesses for non-repudiable digital signingcapabilities both with individuals within and outside the enterprise.

The Security Ecosystem's software is generally oriented to reduce impacton the existing manner in which enterprise users create, store andtransmit documents to others. The Security Ecosystem generally does nottransport, store or have access to user's encrypted data. The SecurityEcosystem generally attempts to provide security to user's digitalassets by providing a system to protect those assets though encryption,both in transit and at rest.

For Consumers the Security Ecosystem may provide a tool so thatconsumers may communicate privately, securely and with confidence notonly with their authenticated friends, family and associates, but alsowith their user-created groups (e.g., schools, teams, clubs, politicalorganizations, etc.).

The Security Ecosystem may offer consumers a downloadable application toinstall on a desktop or mobile device that will “lock” (encrypt) and“unlock” (decrypt) documents using a cryptographic standard such asAdvanced Encryption Standards (AES 256) as well as possibly otheroptional protocols. An authenticated, authorized recipient of a digitalfile may open it; locked files should not be viewable by advertisers,email or cloud providers, governments or others; private encryption keyscan be held generally by their owners; and identities may beauthenticated through user-managed tools.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The embodiments will be readily understood by the following detaileddescription in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein likereference numerals designate like structural elements, and in which:

FIG. 1 shows a High-Level Depiction of Component- andFunctional-Relationships in Combined Service Provider Model.

FIG. 2 shows An example of Steps in the Inviter-Invitee Protocol.

FIG. 3 shows A security Appliance deployed at an enterprise.

FIG. 4 shows An enterprise grade cloud-based B-to-C security solution.

DESCRIBED EMBODIMENTS

In a User-Directed, Authenticated, Cryptography-Enabling,Security-Focused Ecosystem (the “Security Ecosystem”) an individualcould operate under multiple identities, manage them centrally, and keepthem private wherever desired. An Individual or group or business couldtune up or down security at their discretion, so as to accomplish highersecurity for what he/they consider to be important communication linesand/or for specific digital assets (or likewise, lower security for lessimportant communication lines and/or digital assets). Individuals and/orgroups and/or businesses could mutually authenticate each other at ahigher standard of care than is typically done (e.g., as a bank mightauthenticate its website customers. As a trusted third party, SecurityEcosystem could authenticate individuals and groups and validate theirtransactions without being privy to the personal information used or thedata exchanged. An individual or group or business could accomplish avery high standard of care for security, as the functions of a SecurityEcosystem could provide Security-as-a-Service, even using non-secureplatforms like web mail and cloud services. Individuals or groups and/orbusinesses from totally different managed security platforms couldcommunicate at high-grade assurance levels for secure end-to-endcommunication, without disrupting or altering their existing behavior orinfrastructure.

What makes the Security Ecosystem unique is that the primary enablingsecurity is based upon communication lines, not end points. This is whyeach user can have multiple identities: they can be anyone at the end ofthe communication line; the main thing is that the entity at each endagrees to communicate. The Security Ecosystem then protects entry into adevice, entry into the Ecosystem software, and when desired, additionalsecurity to enter into unique documents. The Security Ecosystem extendsfrom there the ability to validate identities (through variousproprietary and common methods) and score identities (proprietarymethods) where desired, and on top of this the Ecosystem offer productsfor individuals, groups, administrators, as well as work flow packages,document signing, and customized vertical solutions. It is noted thatthe fundamental architecture is based on the communication line betweenusers.

The Security Ecosystem has a proprietary Attribute Authority (“AA”),which acts as a Trusted Third Party mediating service provider. With theAA, the Ecosystem can: securely set up identities, uniquely associateencryption keys to identities and their Invitees (communication lines),delegate authorizations (e.g. to Inviters or to asynchronous uploads)and/or handle authorization requests and/or other real-timeverifications pertaining to accessing communication lines and sharingdigital files. Many scenarios have been described and solved for,including operating without a traditional Registration Authority (“RA”),or working with an external PKI/PMI, sharing certificates with 3rdparties, etc.

The Security Ecosystem is designed to be agnostic to where and/or howemail or other content is hosted. Furthermore, a primary Ecosystemstrength that is typically not a part of other offerings is auditablebrokering of trusted relationships through the Ecosystem'sInviter-Invitee protocol suite (see FIG. 2 “Inviter-Invitee ProtocolExample”), where such relationships and/or digital agreements may eachstand alone (for higher privacy), and/or can optionally leveragebuild-up of identity confidence levels across relationships to theextent that policy allows. The resulting individual or chained attributecertificates could potentially be used to enhance offerings of otherproviders that are primarily designed to try to assure continuity ofunclonable identifiers across Web sessions, rather than to add valuerelative to third-party (such as the Ecosystem) evidence-gathering andattestation-generation with regard to actual user identities.Third-party support for user identities may become more important whenhigh-value transactions are at stake. The fact that most other typicallysystems do not rely on the services of a trusted third-party entity isdirectly related to the fact that there are no attestations or proofs ofidentity. While such a trusted third party could issue identity-basedcryptography credentials, public key certificate, attributecertificates, etc. without conditioning such issuance on demonstrableproof or evidence of actual identity, the real value of such third-partyinvolvement is in a system like the Ecosystem, where Invitersessentially vouch for the identity of Invitees who successfully completethe Invitee protocol.

The Security Ecosystem may be deployed in either a cloud-hostedenvironment or in an Enterprise (i.e., business) deployment on premisein the private enterprise's hosted environment. In an enterprise-hostedenvironment, the Ecosystem could be provisioned in private-label basisassociated with the enterprise. The enterprise could use it as aBusiness-to-Consumer security solution, for example. Such a deploymentcould reduce any concern an enterprise might have about an outsideprovider having access to privileged information. (See FIG. 3 “Asecurity Appliance deployed at an enterprise”).

In an enterprise deployment, Security Ecosystem can create a securityappliance that deploys at such a private enterprise to create and manageprivate/public key pairs for customers, partners and associates who areoutside the enterprise security envelope (See FIG. 3 “A securityAppliance deployed at an enterprise”). The appliance may contain anAttribute Authority (“AA”) in a typical HSM, which may interoperate withthe typical enterprise Certificate Authority (CA) (or in anotherembodiment with a CA integrated with the AA). There is no externalvalidation authority or integration. The appliance may integrate withtypical LDAP tools for CRM contacts, Active Directory settings, etc. andaccomplishes real-time provisioning and revocation. The Enterprise usesthe appliance to invite their customers or other contacts to download aprivate-branded thin client that delivers the security as a service inthe name of the Enterprise to the computer or other device of thecustomer or other contact. The appliance may provide administrativetools for security settings and optionally an audit trail of activitieswith reporting.

In one embodiment, the enterprise appliance of (optionallyprivately-branded infrastructure of security components will enableenterprise users to share documents and communications with externalindividuals and/or companies using strong authentication and encryption.The solution can enable the enterprise's IT Security Group to control,host, and manage a security application that invites outside parties todownload a client to their smart device and/or computer in order toshare content with enterprise users over any content transport and/ordelivery platform (i.e. email, Dropbox, FTP sites, etc.). Such anecosystem appliance may provide a variety of benefits such as one ormore of: end-to-end security from the enterprise users to outsideparties without extending the firewall and without requiring federatedidentity management; facilitating the creation of agreement-basedrelationships within a trusted framework so that the enterprise can havehigher confidence that the sensitive data and messages it shares outsideof its network are being shared generally only with theenterprise-authorized Off-Net Users; manages user-directed, end-pointencryption of digital assets for secure sharing with other users (wherethis end-point encryption can also be used for secure storage andretrieval); may provide a future capability for enterprisecross-certification resulting in public keys that map to identities onone enterprise being recognized by another enterprise in order tofacilitate automated inter-enterprise, secure communication; may providepractical adoption of non-repudiable Digital Signing of documents sothat Digital Signing may become a reliable, user-contact tool andtrusted tool of the enterprise's corporate records; may provide theavailability of trusted audit trails with detailed,cryptographically-validated records of the encryption, decryption andauthentication operations applied to users' messages; may be brandedwith the “enterprise's” name.

In other embodiments, the Security Ecosystem appliance may provideoptional features such as: giving enterprise-authenticated On-NetworkUsers an ability to invite new Off-Net Users to establish a persistent,secure communications line between them; a communications line may beestablished between an Off-Net User and either: (a) one or more singleenterprise On-Net Users; or (b) a defined internal the enterprise Group(e.g., a sales team); or (c) a combination of (b) and (c); the SecurityEcosystem appliance may integrate with the enterprise's Public KeyInfrastructure (PKI) and Privilege Management Infrastructure (PMI) inorder to provide Inviter and Invitee protocols that serve to securelyinitialize or update persistent secure communications lines between theenterprise and the enterprise-authorized Off-Net Users; communicationshandling preferences or instructions may be incorporated into theInviter and Invitee protocols, e.g., proffered by the Inviter andaccepted by the Invitee; endpoints may be characterized bycontext-specific identities (e.g., an Off-Net User may have an“Attorney” identity on a communications line with the enterpriseexecutives, and may also have a “VIP Guest and/or Customer” identity ona distinct communications line with, for example, a Sales or enterpriseHost Services; the activity of endpoints of a communications line willbe governed by an end-to-end Digital Agreement established duringInviter-Invitee processing; using such an agreement-based foundation,the system may enable a sender to designate a specific, known recipientfor his/her information, such that only the chosen recipient can openit; context-specific identities/user identity profiles may bedynamically customizable through drag-and-drop operations, thus enablingbroadening of context, (based for example, on successful completion ofmultiple Invitee roles; communications lines may be revoked by Usersand/or by enterprise administrators based on enterprise policy, eitheron demand and/or via automated procedures tied to Digital Agreementenforcement; Inviter and Invitee processing may be asynchronous in thatfollowing an Inviter protocol run, a thereby designated Invitee chooseswhether or not to accept a prompt to engage the Security Ecosystemmediating service provider in an application of the Invitee protocol;Inviter-Invitee protocol processing is self-contained in that itroutinely supplies un-forgeable evidence of successfully concludedInvitee processing by the intended Invitee to the Inviter and/orauthorized delegates of the Inviter; Inviter-Invitee authenticationcould be based upon a shared secret such as an account number orpassword or other price of information known to the Inviter and Invitee.The Security Ecosystem appliance is also designed to interoperate withvarious methods of multi-factor authentication using third partyapplications and devices, if desired by the enterprise.

In other embodiments, the Security Ecosystem appliance may provide for adigital asset to be encrypted at an endpoint (such as an enterpriseserver or desktop or mobile device or other); the appliance manages theuse of cryptographic keys through easy-to-use software for provisioningand revoking the use of these keys according to the instructions of theenterprise; appliance may optionally be customized for enforceablehandling (via appropriate encryption) of unique digital assets as set bythe sending user endpoint, possibly as directed by terms incorporatedinto the Digital Agreement governing that asset type (e.g., a digitalasset of that type may not be opened on a mobile device, but only on acomputer) with flexibility at the discretion of the enterprise; theappliance may be optionally customized to integrate with ametadata-injection tool applied to the enterprise files, to label themconfidential or not, which might be used by the enterprise to signalwhether such a file would be subject to encryption or not.

In various embodiments, an enterprise may use the appliance in one ormore of these ways: while the Security Ecosystem software createsencrypted data at endpoints, the appliance and/or servers hosted by theenterprise generally need not access, store or transport the encrypteddata (but may do so in another embodiment); encrypted data can be storedin any cloud storage and/or sent over any public network, cloud platformor email system without being readable by such a service provider;Inviter and Invitee protocol processing may generate audit trails based,in part, on digital signatures, and which are controlled entirely by theenterprise (but may be shared in another embodiment); the appliance maybe optionally customized such that highly sensitive data could bedesignated to require one or more additional security step in order togain access to its plaintext form (e.g., password protected ormulti-factor authentication required).

In other embodiments, an enterprise may use the Security Ecosystemappliance for one or more purposes, such as: to securely shareconfidential documents with Off-Net Users such as attorneys, healthcareprofessionals, CPAs, business partners, Government Regulators of manysorts, VIP Customers/Guests or anyone or any business or other entitywhere security of information is desired; common enterprise departmentsthat could be attractive candidates for making use of the appliancecapabilities are: Executive, Legal, Marketing, Finance, Sales teams, andothers; an example of a noteworthy use case in a hospitality enterprisecould include that between VIP hosts and hotel VIPs with the VIPspossibly benefitting from the prestige of a secure, private app on theirdevice and/or computer in order to securely communicate and/or sharesensitive assets with the enterprise; another example of a possiblebenefit to a hospitality enterprise would be the ability to immediatelychange the Host-to-VIP secure link when a host leaves the employ of theenterprise with the immediate substitution to a new host identity toassume responsibility and control of that Host-to-VIP communicationline; other examples of types of sensitive information for whicheasy-to-use data encryption might be chosen in order to communicateprivately, securely and verifiably with an Off-Net User could includebusiness proposals, trade secrets, legal agreements, invoices, offers,reservations, plans, as well as many others; the Security Ecosystem willmeet or exceed industry standards and may be audited to assist theenterprise in complying with various governmental privacy laws dealingwith the secure data transfer and storage of personal and othersensitive information; the Security Ecosystem is expected to assist theenterprise in protecting against supply chain poisoning by requiring allreceived digital assets to have been digitally signed and encrypted attheir point of origin by a the enterprise-authenticated identity; theenterprise may address the “Going Paperless” paradigm: instead ofsending an email to customers (and/or others) saying something to theeffect of “your statement/invoice is ready, come and get it”, theenterprise simply emails the encrypted statement/invoice directly to thecustomers (and/or others) saying something to the effect of “yourstatement/invoice is attached, securely locked/encrypted for you” withthe enterprise optionally later receiving a verifiable audit trailreporting when their Off-Net User used his/her private key to access theoriginal cleartext of the transmitted digital asset; further securepoint-to-point communications with existing and/or future enterpriselocation will be enabled.

In another embodiment the Security Ecosystem appliance will haveflexibility in integrating with an enterprise's PKI functionalityrelative to its scalability potential to service clients outside of theenterprise and accommodate and adjust to any potential reuse ofcomponents (such as RA) across the PKI and PMI as well as to accommodateto the enterprise's Disaster Recovery Plan (DRP).

In another embodiment, there could be a Consumer Cloud-based deploymentof Security Ecosystem, which could accommodate individuals, smallbusinesses, and any enterprise that does not have a centrally managedPKI infrastructure. This Ecosystem could enable B-to-B and/or B-to-Cand/or C-to-C communication. This embodiment does not include majorenterprise-grade tools such as system administration, SDK's,cross-certification, work flow, sophisticated Trust-related algorithms,etc. that would be in “Enterprise Cloud Product”. Even so, it is acomprehensive application that provides high security to many users. Itcould be considered similar to how employees of enterprises startedusing Dropbox before an Enterprise Edition was ever built. The followingfunctionalities could be included in such a “Consumer” product: acloud-based enrollment with download of local app; distributedfunctionality between the appliance as the CA, and local app as a keystore.

In a further embodiment of Consumer cloud product, here are possiblerequirements:

A. Overview

The Consumer product will be an easy-to-use application for individualsto secure documents (through encryption) and share credentials (byinvitation) with contacts and associates. With the Consumer product,individuals can take control of their security. Documents secured withthe Consumer product can travel through any email or cloud-based storageplatform and remain secure and unreadable by any 3rd party.

The Consumer Product leverages high-grade security standards, and isdesigned to give people privacy and the freedom to decide how and wherethey share information, and with whom.

Core functions are:

Register at The Consumer Product.com.

-   -   Sign up (free or fee).    -   Download the application (easy & fast).    -   The Consumer Product generates user identity and keys.    -   The local app registers your device and generates a local        private key.

Use the application to invite contacts to share secure documents.

-   -   Invite contacts using an email address.    -   Friend receives a link to a website for enrollment.    -   Friend is registered in Inviter private application.    -   Friend can now unlock Inviter document, and unlimited secure        docs can be shared between the two parties.

Use the application to lock and unlock documents

-   -   The application may Auto-launch when a locked “Consumer Product        doc” is double-clicked (retrieved from storage or email or other        source) and if the user is already signed in, the document will        open.    -   Lock a document, which includes selecting who can open it        (either oneself, or add names from the list user invited        connections, or invite a new associate.)

Account administration

-   -   For each contact, view dates and times when docs have been        opened Upgrade account to add more contacts.    -   Change/reset password, account keys.    -   Download application updates

B. Architecture

1. General Structure

-   -   Web-based Enrollment, Account Management    -   Private, cloud-based PKI/PMI with Administrator App    -   Device-side App for Opening & Closing Docs

2. Application Software

-   -   Web Services & UI    -   Back end infrastructure (HSM) and administration UI    -   Mobile/Smart Device App: support for iOS, Android, maybe        Blackberry, Windows Mobile, etc.    -   Desktop support for OS-X 10.5+, Windows 7/8, etc.    -   Desktop/Device-side UI (possibly JavaScript or other)

3. Security Architecture

X.509 with ECC

-   -   PKI    -   PMI

Key Escrow

Customized code for PMI—a proprietary Authentication Authority withInviter Protocol

Digital signature with Time/Date stamp

Local Key Store Module at mobile/desktop device level, No Firmware, nointeroperability with other apps v.1.

Generally requires VPN technology to connect. The device-side app inmost circumstances will be online connected to the Security Ecosystemserver to unlock documents operate.

C. User Interfaces Descriptions

1. Register at a Designated Website

Sign up (free or fee): Needs ability to enter a user name (will becomethe default identity) and password, with a quality check on password anda captcha (or other). Sign up with a passcode/free coupon, or pay bycredit card, maybe also PayPal. Pricing model is to be determined. Inone example, the people an Inviter invites get communication line atInviter's expense (free to them) but would need to pay to add moreassociates of their own. A security policy and liability waiver willlikely be required as part of account registration.

The Consumer Product generates user identity and keys On the back end,the Inviter protocol is activated (proprietary code on theAuthentication Authority), and the system generates keys.

Download the application: The system can generate a downloadableexecutable with instructions with a functional sequence similar toDropbox, or Skype download.

The local app registers user device and generates a local private key.This is a back end device-side function and may display animation orsound at the device so the user can see that something related to highsecurity is occurring. On the backend, the Inviter protocol is activated(proprietary code on the Authentication Authority) to register thedevice-side app, and the device-side app generates a private key.

2. Use of the Application to Invite Contacts to Share Secure Documents

Invite contacts using an email address. The Inviter opens The ConsumerProduct device-side app, selects “add a contact”, and enters an emailaddress and any name for contact. The name of the Inviter (from originalregistration) is auto-completed, but the Inviter can override and enterany name desired for this communication line. The Inviter clicks“invite”. The request transmits over VPN to TC Cloud, and TC servergenerates an email invite to the recipient.

Friend receives a link to a designated website for enrollment. Friend(Invitee) receives link to enroll at The Consumer Product. The linkassociates the Inviter with the

Invitee, and the Consumer Product registration page completes theprotocol to initiate app download. The Invitee, as a new user,accomplishes a downloaded consumer app already provisioned with theInviter name in the contact list. An email or other message is generatedto the Inviter and the Invitee alerting them that they can now sharesecure files.

Friend is registered in Inviter private application. Upon next login,Inviter is provisioned with the contact name (and public key) ofInvitee.

Friend can now unlock Inviter/Inviter document, and can send you securedocs. Inviter and Invitee can now share docs. Invitee can add contactsby going to admin tool of their The Consumer Product device-side app. Apop-up reminder to add contacts may be desired.

3. Use the Application to Lock and Unlock Documents

Auto-launch application when a locked Consumer Product Created doc isdouble-clicked (retrieved from storage or email or other) and open thedocument. A document that has been locked by an app within the systemwould use a standardized appendix to created files, e.g.“documentname.tex”. Device-side application needs policy for how long itstays logged-in, or under what conditions it logs out. If logged-out,possibly the application is prompted to be opened when a locked documentwith the standardized appendix is clicked, and password is requested.The concept is to wrap the locked document in a Consumer Productexecutable. It would operate similar to an Adobe PDF.

Lock a document, which includes selecting which user can open it (eitherthe originator, or add names from the list of authenticated connections,or invite a new user.) The option to lock could be accessed from thesystem print menu or possibly from a new, added menu item or other. Whenlocking, the user may select one or more documents and one or morerecipients. Recipient should already have been invited and be on theauthenticated list of provisioned contacts for the sender. When adocument is locked with the public key associated with a designateduser, generally the originator by default is also issued a key so thesoftware may create a locked copy of any document sent that theoriginator himself can store and later open.

4. Account Administration

For each contact, view dates and times when docs have been opened. Thiswould be an audit trail log, showing when document files were locked andsubsequently unlocked. It would not keep copies of the actual documents.Basically populates the digital signature records from cloud service,and should sync when login occurs. Could be sorted by communication line(Invitee name), then recent activity or other.

Edit contacts. Provides a capability where contacts may be revoked. If acommunication line is revoked, there could be a pop-up requesting extraapproval and possibly an option for the system to alert both parties viaemail (or other) that the communication line has been revoked.Communication line can be re-established with a new Inviter/Inviteeprotocol. Additional invites are also originated here—“invite a newassociate”, and needs to correlate to account balance (how many out of apossible purchase package remain) and possible prompt to purchase morecontacts when the remaining balance reaches a predetermined amount.

Upgrade account. User may use credit card on file to purchase additionalpacks of contacts (when contacts are charged for) or can enter newpayment method. There will be other types of upgrades later in productlifecycle.

Change/reset password, account keys. System has a method forreprovisioning keys.

Download application updates. This should prompt when a person logs inat the local app and the app does an auto-check for updates.

5. Other Content on Website

Basic Web-pages of about the service, security policy, etc.

Change/reset password, upgrade account.

Download application updates.

Other features, items as appropriate.

E. Additional Features for Future Versions

TrustScore—this is a measure of length of time on the system, frequencyof use, size of social network, and level of verification/endorsement ofthe identity. This is an algorithm with various rules.

AccessScore—this is a measure of predominantly multifactorauthentication, and (for example) whether the user is coming in from abrowser as opposed to their provisioned application. These are thefunctions that would result in the ability to generate a score.

Digital Signature Usage

-   -   Supports the non-repudiable audit trail, which can exist with a        certified PKI.    -   (For some security conscious users, a “no records retained”        option would be offered.)

They are also the backbone of a workflow system that would literallysign a document electronically.

Digital signatures are the backbone of expected multiple approval levelsand multiple identity types. There are many use cases in Enterprisedeployments.

Cross-certification as well as probably other features related tosharing identities.

Validating 3rd party information with the Consumer Product digitalsignature (for example for a prescription or stock trade).

In another embodiment, there could be a User Interface that removescomplexity, with animation to demonstrate to the user that he isaccomplishing security. Additionally there could be add on productsoffered for sophisticated consumers (to accomplish higher gradesecurity, using digital signatures and multi-factor authentication). Oneexample of such could be an out-of-band authentication product (Usingbarcode and/or QR code technology) that raises standard of care on manin middle attacks (described in detail elsewhere). There could be toolsand/or widgets for cross platform consumer application interoperability(such as shared SAML assertions, federated identity, etc., as well asmini apps for smart devices, integration with 3rd party multifactorauthentication). There could be a Peer group administration module aswell as Peer to peer Workflow tools.

In another embodiment, there could be a basic security protocol in orderto offer a product that would deliver the most basic and valuableproduct: online security-as-a-service. This could include a downloadablethin-client which would protect any digital asset and provide a methodof sharing it over any email, cloud, storage or document collaborationplatform with a military-grade standard of care for security. This couldoffer an innovative, proprietary security architecture and delivers arevolution to the market: a usable and understandable security productfor consumers.

In another embodiment, there could be an enterprise grade cloud-basedB-to-C security solution. An analogy could be to look at Dropbox, whichhas a consumer product with heavy-user upgrades, and a commercialversion, with major institution upgrades. The backbone is Dropbox, andthese customer-centric products and features are modules catering todifferent demands and tolerances for sophistication, integration,privacy, complexity and convenience. Such a Cloud-based EnterpriseProduct could interoperate with a Private Label Appliance so that thePrivate Label Appliance could connect to the Cloud-based Enterprise tocommunicate with “anyone”—not just customers in their ACL or CRMdatabase, using the system's Authentication solutions, etc., and itsCloud CA and meanwhile not put any of an enterprises Certificates oraudit trail information or usage analytics outside their privatenetwork. (See FIG. 4 “An enterprise grade cloud-based B-to-C securitysolution”). These are examples of various possible functionalities ofthe Cloud-based Enterprise Product: Customized branding within the thinclient (for example, when a person opens the thin client to unlock adocument from a specific Group (like a Bank), the application willdeliver the bank brand in the graphic; Cloud storage & transport ofdocuments in order to automate B-to-C document delivery; Storage ofhashes of documents in order to prove whether a document has beenaltered; vertical-specific and/or modular products such as stock tradeverification, prescription drug fulfillment, etc. (e.g. could includenon-repudiable proof of instructions and compliance, as well as mutualauthentication as well as enable workflow such as multiple approvallevels, as well as upgraded security features); platform-specificdeployments (e.g. “app store” product for AWS, Salesforce, EBay etc.; ahost of add-on products apps for B-to-C enablement such as: digitallysigned objects (enables workflow, permission levels); Workflow tools toenable web forms and paperless transactions; TrustScore alerts andmanagement; expanded business intelligent tools and/or analytics; audittrail/diligence product; B-to-C statement/invoice/other encryptioncapability for secure transport to a designated recipient; Groupmanagement tools; escrow offering; Legal compliance offering (e.g.holding documents or orders in escrow as fiduciary).

In another embodiment, there would be a sequence of possible steps thata new user could likely go through to become provisioned with theSecurity Ecosystem application. These steps could be such as these:

A. User goes to website for the app and clicks Download Customer facingdomain at website launches the Universal Software Provisioning Sequence(USPS).

B. Executable checks for device type, verifies no existing TC client.

C. At customer facing domain, USPS compiles next available:

-   -   GUID    -   Nonce    -   Position Vector    -   Bits Vector    -   Random number (R-VPN)

D. Subscriber device receives download and opens software

E. App opens

-   -   Subscriber enrolls locally:    -   Username (unique username not required for security/repeats        allowed because TC tracks the name+unique GUID, not just the        name)    -   Password (complexity check)    -   Verify Password    -   Mobile # (if you'd like to provision your mobile device as well.        Read-only)    -   More data than this is not required user can be completely        anonymous

F. Hit Enter

G. Client sends package back to server:

-   -   GUID    -   Nonce in sequence    -   Username    -   Hash of password    -   LKSM seed    -   Public Key of VPN (unique to the device)

H. The Security Ecosystem server checks the Package

-   -   GUID matches    -   Nonce matches    -   Accepts new Username & stores the hash of the password and the        SALT value.    -   Potentially we encrypt these at the HSM and then store.

I. The Security Ecosystem server spawns a piece of the seed.

J. The Security Ecosystem server sends a challenge using position vectorto see if MAC address bits and random bits correct. The local clientshould correctly accomplish the right answer, plus the server gets backthe client confirmed MAC address and now stores it at server.

K. The Security Ecosystem server sends the partial seed (random number)and the vector to lock/mask the seed to the client.

L. This specific step is what creates the LKSM, Local Key Store Module:The client generates entropy and finishes the seed (hashes the piecestogether). The seed is locked and masked, and the masking is unique tothat client. This seed can be used later to provision other devices forthe same user. (Note that the other devices can be provisioned by usinga phone as an intermediary, or one could use the seed to “invite”another device using Inviter protocol.

M. The Security Ecosystem server now sends random numbers: the randomnumber for the Key Establishment Key Pair and the random number for theDigital Signature Key Pair.

N. The client generates the key pairs (Suite B style): the KeyEstablishment Key Pair and the Digital Signature Key Pair.

O. The client sends the two Public Keys back to The Security Ecosystemserver Server: the Key Establishment Public Key and the DigitalSignature Public Key.

P. The Security Ecosystem server gives these two public keyscertificates and associates them with that user's account. (Uses HSM.Does not use GUID so no association of users and keys exists at TC).

The private keys are separated. To reconstruct them, the client softwareneeds the server to send the random number to the private key. Theclient will take the random number and add the seed from the LKSM inorder to acquire the private key.

The private key is used to compute the public key. Each communicationline has cryptographically unique public key.

The Provision Protocol is now complete. The user can now act as anInviter, or simply lock a document for themselves. The ProvisionProtocol had already provisioned the user in advance of inviting anycommunication lines with the cryptographically unique public key. It isreserved in waiting until the user invites someone or locks a document,and then the next key is generated and held in waiting.

In another embodiment, existing users could login into the app in asequence such as this (or with some variation):

A. Subscriber opens TC local app

B. Server sends GUID positions to client

C. Client verifies last stored nonce matches GUID and returns:

-   -   user name & password entered (hash function of password sent)    -   private key of VPN “Device Key”    -   2-way authenticated

D. For security purposes, each time the Security Ecosystem server andthe client communicate a position vector and a bit vector get reset. TheSecurity Ecosystem server may query the client when they talk. TheSecurity Ecosystem server queries, the answer comes back and immediatelyit is scrambled again; it does not repeat the same values going forward.A feature called “ABBA” would be used at this point. “ABBA” is a made-upname to describe an innovation that is in essence a continuouslyprogressing conversation between the Security Ecosystem's customerfacing domain and the customer local client. The conversation gives thelast answer plus a new piece of information each and every time,essentially passing the baton (a nonce) between the two end points ofthe communication line. This is a continuously progressing sequence, forexample the Security Ecosystem server sends AB, then the local devicegives back BC (C is new nonce), and then the Security Ecosystem givesback (for example) CD and the local device gives back (for example) DE.A third party attempting to intercept the communication between the twoparties should not be able to re-create the previous sequence because itwas randomly created and is no longer current and will not be usedagain. This procedure terminates a conversation if it is not properlyreplicated. ABBA participates in the security of the VPN between theclient and the Security Ecosystem server. With the VPN, there are theVPN private/public keys, and then on top of that, there is the ABBAsession manager. It could be possible for ABBA to be used to conduct anintermittent session check in session (not just at the beginning) endingvalidation and also possibly at a session upgrade. These are furthervariations and examples:

Server sends a challenge

Client Sends a response

Server ascertains the MAC address of device (if changed, login rejected)

Server sends release code to release the seed value

Server sends a new lock code (random value+seed)

Server sends a new nonce

Server sends a new position vector (for bits and MAC address)

Server sends a new BITS vector

Client overwrites the old nonce with new nonce.

E. User is logged in and ready to encrypt/decrypt/manage account.

Now: when time out or logout, new lock codes are in place

Next login: Server sends positions, client gives back the randombits+Mac Address. There should be continuity from one session to next,or login is rejected. Prevents man in middle attack, prevents yourclient from being copied to another piece of hardware—not transportable.

In another embodiment, the system has an option that may be implementedby users called “tunable security”. For examples of Tunable Security, auser might, for example, invite 10 people. They have baseline sharedsecrets, mutually authenticated comm lines. A user could add anotherperson and might require that he/she authenticates every time he/sheaccesses a protected document or a communication line (e.g., through afingerprint app, other multi-factor authentication, a Security EcosystemQR/bar code methodology, or other). A user may choose to insist onsession authentication (e.g., ABBA) and/or also insist on authenticationfor one or more documents.

In another embodiment, Key Management Issues are addressed regarding theLKSM in which the SEED is generated by first instance of the client forthe given user. A SEED can be generated by using combined randomnessfrom both client-local source(s) and mediating service provider, wherethe server's contribution is transmitted encrypted over the VPNconnection. SEED can be securely transmitted to other instances of theclient for the same user: Can potentially be done by using the VPN keysof the clients, if authenticity can be determined, e.g., if such VPNpublic keys bear public key certificates. VPN configuration may includeprovisioning of a key pair for use in client authentication. Such keypair is specific to the instance of the client, and need not be backedup. Although such key pair is intended primarily for securecommunications between the client and the mediating service provider, itmay also be used for synchronizing user-level keying material acrossinstances of a client associated with the same user (without involvingthe mediating service provider directly in such exchange so as to assureinaccessibility by the service provider). The user's mobile phone and/ora peripheral storage device (e.g., USB) may be utilized for backup andtransfer. The mediating service provider may issue a digitally signedsoftware token that must be re-presented to the client in order totrigger encrypted export of user-level keying material to anotherinstance of the client, potentially via a mobile device associated withthe user and local to the source or destination during some sort ofpairing with each. The software token may be movable to a peripheralstorage device (where a hash is retained in the client).

In another embodiment, methods are described as to how Groups can behandled: A group does not identify an individual, but definesfunction/role, such as host entity of a customer relationship. An activegroup may include as few as one active member. The group administratoris considered a member of the group. An attribute certificate for thegroup indicates group characterization (e.g., department(s) and/orrole(s)), and references a public key certificate that includes asignature verification public key. The corresponding signaturegeneration private key is held by the group administrator. This key isused to assign the group public key that is used for encryption or keyestablishment. This mechanism enables the group administrator to(re-)assign values to the group public key as long as the attributecertificate (or its replacement) is currently valid and the signatureverification public key has not been revoked. There are at least twoways for the group administrator to securely provide the group privatekey to other current members of the group: (a) use can be made of(certificate-bearing or otherwise authenticated) encryption public keysor key establishment public keys of prospective group members; (b) usecan be made of ephemeral key establishment public keys that have beendigitally signed using digital signature generation private keys ofprospective group members that correspond to certificate-bearing orotherwise authenticated signature verification public keys. If a(non-group administrator) group member's access is to be deleted, thegroup administrator can assign a new value to the group public key anddistribute the corresponding group private key to surviving groupmembers (as well as to new group members if/when such are added).

In other embodiments, these characteristics further describe thefunctionality of the Security Ecosystem appliance:

The nature of the design puts the PMI in charge of keys, not the PKIwhich improves the security of the system;

The Inviter Protocol adds attribute certs that point to public keys. Thesystem picks these keys up for each relationship and collects them atthe server. Through this procedure, the secret question is notcompromised. It all allows the system to pool and score user'sidentities.

The system does not allow the live server to attach the secret questiononto an identity in order to reduce insider and offline attacks.

The system may enable document-only access or “pick-up” with public keypick-up only.

In embodiments regarding Digital Signature Key Pairs:

There are server level Digital Signature keys for signing for VPN/TLSand HSM purposes.

A server Digital Signature delivers a signature that may validate adocument, and/or a public key request with time/date stamp. This canaffirm existence of a document without forgery. With such a validationprocess, the server can thus know which document is being opened even ifthe server did not store the document.

A server may store a hash of a document and have the local client send alog back to the server regarding the hash of the document so the servermay know when document is unlocked/opened. The server may revokedocument-level keys or make them expire in a certain time frame. Theserver is also able to see if a document has been changed bycross-checking the hashes. If hashes are kept in plain text, the servermay be able to demonstrate (for example) that pornography had beenencrypted and/or decrypted, and possibly prove a crime occurred in acourt of law.

In embodiments regarding system functions:

A system administrator would not have many duties at the user level. Theusers themselves revoke or reset themselves. They should have a varietyof abilities, such as to find a GUID and/or revoke access to one or moredocuments.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method executed on a distributed computernetwork for establishing secure communication between a plurality ofdevices, the method comprising: receiving a first unique identificationand a first cryptographic key, from a first device; receiving a secondunique identification and a second cryptographic key, from a seconddevice; authenticating a communication line between the first device andthe second device, by a mediating service provider, by issuing a digitalcertificate to the communication line for establishing a securecommunication line between the first device and the second device,validating transactions without being privy to the data exchanged andproviding encryption of a digital asset as directed by termsincorporated into a digital agreement governing said digital asset,wherein the digital certificate is produced using the first and secondunique identifications and the first and second cryptographic keys, or areference to the first and second unique identifications and the firstand second cryptographic keys, and wherein the mediating serviceprovider performs at least two of: securely setting up identities,uniquely associating encryption keys to the communication lines; andreal-time verifications pertaining to accessing communication lines; andauthenticating an electronic delivery agreement including terms of useand rules of said each secure communication line between the firstdevice and the second device such that said rules allow exchange ofencrypted data on said secure communication line.
 2. The method of claim1, further comprising including a group membership for the plurality ofdevices in an attribute certificate indicating group characterization,3. The method of claim 2, wherein the attribute certificate is owned byone of the plurality of devices and references a public key or a publickey certificate for said one of the plurality of devices.
 4. The methodof claim 2, further comprising preventing a device which is not a memberof a group with an approved attribute certificate, from communicatingwith said any one of the plurality of devices.
 5. The method of claim 2,wherein the group of the plurality of devices includes sub-groups. 6.The method of claim 2, wherein the group of the plurality of devicesincludes associated rules of the group.
 7. The method of claim 1,wherein at least one of the first device and the second device assumesdifferent identities to represent itself to external devices.
 8. Amethod executed on a distributed computer network for establishingsecure communication between a plurality of devices, the methodcomprising: receiving a first unique identification and a firstcryptographic key, from a first device; receiving a second uniqueidentification and a second cryptographic key, from a second device;authenticating a communication line between the first device and thesecond device, by a mediating service provider, by issuing a digitalcertificate to the communication line for establishing a securecommunication line between the first device and the second device,validating transactions without being privy to the data exchanged,wherein the digital certificate is produced using the first and secondunique identifications and the first and second cryptographic keys, or areference to the first and second unique identifications and the firstand second cryptographic keys, wherein preventing a third device forwhich a secure communication line to the first or second device has notbeen established from communicating with the first or second device,wherein the mediating service provider performs at least two of:securely setting up identities, uniquely associating encryption keys tothe communication lines, and real-time verifications pertaining toaccessing communication lines; authenticating an electronic deliveryagreement including terms of use and rules of said each securecommunication between respective devices, such that said rules allowexchange of encrypted data on said secure communication lineaccordingly.
 9. The method of claim 8, further comprising including agroup membership for the plurality of devices in an attributecertificate indicating group characterization,
 10. The method of claim9, wherein the attribute certificate is owned by one of the plurality ofdevices and references a public key or a public key certificate for saidone of the plurality of devices.
 11. The method of claim 9, furthercomprising preventing a device which is not a member of a group with anapproved attribute certificate, from communicating with said any one ofthe plurality of devices.
 12. The method of claim 9, wherein the groupof the plurality of devices includes sub-groups.
 13. The method of claim9, wherein the group of the plurality of devices includes associatedrules of the group.
 14. The method of claim 8, wherein at least one ofthe first device and the second device assumes different identities torepresent itself to external devices.
 15. A method executed on adistributed computer network for establishing secure electronic deliveryagreements related to digital transactions between a plurality ofdevices, the method comprising: receiving a first unique identificationand a first cryptographic key by a first device, and a second uniqueidentification and a second cryptographic key by a second device;generating a digital certificate using the first and second uniqueidentifications and the first and second cryptographic keys;authenticating an electronic delivery agreement related to a digitaltransaction between the first device and the second device by issuingthe digital certificate to the first device and the second device; andafter the electronic delivery agreement is established, processing thedigital transaction according to parameters of the electronic deliveryagreement using a unique identification or a cryptographic key of one ofthe plurality of devices, wherein the electronic delivery agreementincludes terms of use and rules of said each secure communicationbetween respective devices, and wherein the digital agreement leveragesan identity confidence level for facilitating the exchange of data oversaid secured communication line.
 16. The method of claim 15, furthercomprising including a group membership for the plurality of devices inan attribute certificate indicating group characterization,
 17. Themethod of claim 16, wherein the attribute certificate is owned by one ofthe plurality of devices and references a public key or a public keycertificate for said one of the plurality of devices.
 18. The method ofclaim 16, further comprising preventing a device which is not a memberof a group with an approved attribute certificate, from communicatingwith said any one of the plurality of devices.
 19. The method of claim16, wherein the group of the plurality of devices includes sub-groups.20. The method of claim 16, wherein the group of the plurality ofdevices includes associated rules of the group.